Attended for my husbands birthday, and man BOMB.COM I knew this would be the perfect place and it was, everything is definitely shareable 16oz steak we couldn't even finish it and I felt bad because it was truly delicious! The calamari it was different than anywhere I've ever had calamari at! The baked charcoal potato amazing and the mushrooms! Totally recommend the vinegar on table to dip your steak with. Sam! Waiters, and front of house thank you for the amazing hospitality. We'll be back! read more

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At the bar for bites and liquid. A few cocktails - French 75, Mezcal Negroni and The Last Word. All executed well and tasty. A few small plates - Chicken wings with multiple sauce on the side options were very good and hot! The lamb riblets were full off meat and flavorful. Yuzu lemon curds with sponge cake like cake, strawberries and vanilla bean ice cream was very good. Price was decent. I think this is a happy hour spot because we sat just as happy was over and once happy hour was over the bar cleared out quickly. Cheapos lol Service was welcoming from the host who told us where some bar seats were available to the bartenders, bar back and runners. Good bar spot! read more

I can't say enough amazing things about this place. We sat at the bar for happy hour last night. You do have to come a little early to wait in line. We basically ordered everything. I was blown away by every single dish. I haven't had red meat in 20 years but I had to taste the steak and hamburger. I even tried the lamb. The cabbage toast is the best thing I have ever tasted! Charcoal margarita! The staff is so lovely and helpful. My parents owned restaurants for 30 years, and I'm still in the industry, so trust me when I say this is the best restaurant in Venice. read more

I have been reluctant to review Charcoal. Why? Because it is one of my favorite places in my neighborhood. It is my go-to happy hour spot. And it is already too crowded. The wife and I usually go to their "Glass Off" happy hour at least once a month. It starts at opening, 5:30, but people start lining up around 5. It's an expensive restaurant, but happy hour gives you a less expensive taste of what the chef is all about. This last time, we shared the Charcoal Burger and an order of Roasted Wild Mushrooms. White wine for the lady, a hazy IPA for me. Delicious as usual. Everything has a deep flavor profile, with umami notes, a bit of smokiness, unique, interesting seasonings. If you get any meat-based dish, like the burger or skewers, you are treated to a trio of house-made sauces that are incredible, too. I beg of you....don't go. read more

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Came here for Valentine's Day dinner and it did not disappoint! Super romantic atmosphere and great service. I got the "Hers" Valentine's Day cocktail which tasted like strawberry coconut, but didn't seem to have much alcohol in it! Still yummy tho! The oysters were solid, but I wasn't a big fan of their signature vinaigrette on the side. My favorite dish was the beef tartare! It was a unique twist with the mushrooms and smoked egg emulsion. The flavors just bursted in my mouth. The sirloin steak with chimichurri was also really good. I expected it to be tougher due to the cut but they did a great job of making it juicy and flavorful. read more

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I dined at Charcoal Venice this past Monday with a fellow Yelper and IRL friend, Tony T., for Dine LA and this was my first time visiting the restaurant. Quite frankly, I wasn't even aware of Charcoal Venice before Dine LA, despite passing through this area countless times. I'm extra grateful for Restaurant Week for putting it on my radar! One thing I really appreciated about the Dine LA experience here was that we were able to try all of the starters and mains rather than choosing just one which made the meal feel super generous. In hindsight, nearly all of the dishes were served in one, and we were told it was two portions. Considering how full I was when I left, I believe it. From the starters, I am still surprised how much I enjoyed the cabbage "baked in the embers." It was smoky, soft, and better than I thought it would be! The hamachi tartare was also tasty but it felt more like a very, very small sample and I don't think I fully got to enjoy it. The Smoky Grilled Chicken Wings served with oregano, chile, and vinegar were good but I'm from Buffalo and have an extremely high standard for wings. While this was the one thing on the Dine LA menu that seems to be on the regular and happy hour menus, I would order something different, despite them being pretty decent! For the courses where a selection was required, I chose the endive salad and the hasselback potato. The endive salad was balanced and flavorful while the hasselback potato was rich and satisfying. Since I love, love, love carbs, I was pleased with my choice. As for the mains, I was a BIG fan of the coffee-rubbed prime flat iron steak. I thought it was cooked to perfection and paired well with many of the house made condiments. The steak was my favorite for the evening. Speaking of the house made condiments, I loved that they're just on the table when you arrive. There's also a house made pickled sauce that was extremely good and went with just about everything. The salmon was very moist though for me it leaned a bit undercooked. Dessert was also pretty good!! The apple crumble had beautifully cooked apples and excellent ice cream though I found the oats or whatever else the topping was a little overpowering. Even so, it was a very solid way to end a very, very filling meal. Service was friendly and attentive throughout most of the evening. Our server, Nicholas C., was great, though toward the end we did have to seek out our check from the host but it was no big deal. The restaurant itself has great vibes. It's warm and pretty modern. It felt like it would be a fantastic date spot or a fun dinner with friends. They also have a popular happy hour in the bar area only from 5:30-7:00pm I think every night. Our server mentioned people line up as early as 5:00-5:15pm which says something! One thing I found interesting is that much of the Dine LA menu doesn't appear to overlap with the regular menu (aside from the wings) which makes me curious to come back and explore more. Overall, I had a lovely experience, left extremely full for the price point, and would absolutely return to try the regular menu. Thank you, Charcoal Venice and thank you Dine LA! read more

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Finally got to check out Charcoal! My friend and I were admittedly bummed out though. Maybe Happy Hour just isn't where it's at. We tried their happy hour on a Friday night. Waited in a very long line. We were fairly far back so got the last seating for HH (thank goodness - felt like a competitive sport lol). I had their Petite Steak and Frites with a glass of the House Red Wine. Their house wines are cheap bottles - my friend asked the server what they use and he wasn't very knowledgeable about wines in general so he just brought her the bottle to show her. The steak didn't necessarily disappoint, but it wasn't that great either. Mind you this is all happy hour where the cost is a lot cheaper from their regular menu. But based on my HH experience alone, sadly I'm not sure I would return to order off their regular menu. Still happy I finally got to try it though! read more

Charcoal Venice - Happy Hour items: Petite Steak and Frites; Burger; Fries - New American Near Me - Venice, California

Definitely make reservations if you want to eat here! There was a line outside before the restaurant opened. Everything here was so good! 16oz bison ribeye and regular ribeye were both cooked to medium rare and very flavorful and tender. Bread was fresh. Nice and soft and their butter was really good. Salmon, sides, and appetizers (calamari) were all delicious! They really know how to flavor their food. The desserts were also pretty good. The peanut butter chocolate crunch is a bit on the dense side for me and a few bites was more than enough. Our server was really nice and took good care of us the whole meal! Would definitely go back here again! read more

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Arrived before doors opened 5:30 on a Tuesday evening. Probably 15 or so folks waiting to get in as well. This is a promising start when folks are lined up. We had reservations so had no doubt we'll get seated. We started with our drink orders of wine and margaritas. Appetizers came next with bread and butter (not complementary), oysters on a half shell, and grilled wings (yum). For our mains we had Bison, Duck, and Ribeye. Sides ordered were baked potatoes, fries, broccoli, and mushroom. Everything was excellent. The dining room filled up quickly and got quite busy as the evening progressed. The place had a nice vibe. We ordered a lot of food and of course we had the food packed to go. They label your boxer items and place it up front to take on your way out. The food is delicious and equally pricey. I don't think I'll be able to return, unless I'm treated out again. Definitely a splurge. read more

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This is the first time I've visited charcoal Venice apparently they have a pretty good happy hour, but you have to sit inside at the high top table to get that happy hour deal. We came here specifically for DineLA. So some of the items that we ate and got are not on the menu all in all I had no reservations or critiques about the food. The steak was delicious. Salmon wasn't as flaky as I hoped it to be, but it was still good. The smoked cabbage that we got was a star for me. Highly recommend coming here, especially if you can snag a spot for the happy hour special. Ambience was great. It would make for a good date spot if that's what you're looking for. read more

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Awesome meal at happy hour- it wasn't too hard to get seats at the bar at 5:30p and we loved everything we tried: *Charcoal Burger ($12 HH): white american, lettuce, tomato, caramelized onion, pickles, secret sauce *Collard Greens salad ($21, non-HH) yam, pickled onions, aged cheddar cheese, lemon-caper vinaigrette, breadcrumbs (one of my favorite salads in town!) *Coal-Roasted Cabbage Toast ($7.50 HH) with yogurt, sumac, pickled fresno chilies *happy hour cocktails were great!! read more

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Lovely place. There was a line of folks right at 5:30 on a Friday, waiting to enjoy the Glass Off happy hour at the bar. The tasting menu featured a nice variety of small plates, from Ahi Tuna Tartare to Smoked chicken wings. I don't think we ordered anything that we did not like. The bartender was very attentive, even with a packed happy hour bar. I can't wait to return. read more

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I'm going to give this a 4 star for one kinda dumb mistake. We showed up for the 530 open 20 minutes early. Quite the Line up for the happy hour. Over all the food was very good. Not pictured was the beef skewer. While I would say it was excellent. The price of a single one is $5 for happy hour and I don't feel like that was worth it. The $6 oysters and the $7 toast. 100% worth it. The chimmy churi sauce is a must try as well. The dinner companion ordered the steak frits and while that was said to be delicious. They forgot to put the order in and I had finished all of my plates and beer before his was served. Over all great for a happy hour. read more

Charcoal Venice - Coal roasted Cabbage toast - New American Near Me - Venice, California

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Came here for their happy hour. When we arrived at 5:45 (HH starts at 5:30 until 7PM), the bar was already packed. We wait for about 50 minutes until we got seated. The burgers and skewers were good. I'd skip the carrots. Their midnight margarita is good but somehow, the marg at Citrin is a lot better. Friend staff. read more

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Happy hour is lit! Make sure to get there early because it's poppin! The fish tacos are so fresh! Oysters are also a hit. Great fat fries, the wings, vegetable medley, mushrooms! Has 2 tvs at the bar for game watching. It's vibey inside, dim lighting great for a date or dinner with family and friends. read more

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Even though I live very close by, I stopped in for my first time last night for dinner and had a great experience. It's a really delicious, casual, and unique steakhouse in Northern Venice. Parking in the area is fairly easy, we were able to find a metered spot directly in front of the restaurant otherwise other street parking is not that hard to find. Inside is quite large complete with a full bar and TV that was playing college football during our visit and a medium sized dining area with mostly half booths and tables. Our server was very polite and everything that we ordered arrived very fast. I'd like to point out how delicious their house vinegar is that sits on the table. It's inside the Maker's Mark bottle and they use many different spices to create their own vinegar. It honestly goes great with the meat and veggies. We started off with the Beef Tartare and really loved it. It was well balanced and had a bit of spice to it and overall it was a real hit at the table. We also ordered a seasonal salad, which was the Heirloom Tomato Salad, and thought it was absolutely fantastic. The heirloom tomatoes were fresh, and it came with a lot of onions soaked in vinaigrette, which is an amazing combo for me. For our entrées, we chose the 10 ounce Prime Skirt Steak based on our waiter's recommendation and the seasonal Tagliatelle. The steak was cooked perfectly and was juicy for every single bite. It was also a good size portion with no fat on it, which means the meat is high quality. The pasta was pretty large in size and great in flavor. It was really well balanced with the ingredients and it made some great leftovers. We wanted to try a dessert but after our meal, we were pretty full, but I plan to be back again in the near future to try more items. I would highly recommend to anyone searching for a great steakhouse or for a great Venice dinner. read more

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It's a hustle-bustle world at the Charcoal happy hour. Good prices for excellent food, but get there early to get in line or you will miss out. Available nightly from 5:30-7 pm, we got in line at 5:20 on a Friday night, and got the last table for two in the bar area. (Lining up at 5 pm is recommended by Charcoal staff to grab a table). Seated at a very small table facing Washington Blvd, I felt like a toddler in a high chair, pushed all the way up so wait staff could move around behind me. We proceeded to order two rounds of Smoke and Fire and Citrine drinks ($12 each); the Hamachi ($14, a new appetizer); 8 of the beef, chicken and salmon skewers ($5 each); the Cabbage in Embers toast ($7.50); and the outstanding chicken wings ($7.50); all accompanied by the restaurant's amazing house-made chimichurri and flavored vinegar. This restaurant is a Venice staple, and we have been here many times for dinner and Happy Hour. One of the best restaurants in Venice. read more

What a great first visit to Charcoal Venice! Came here for dinner with a friend. I've always passed this restaurant but never had the chance to actually go in. First, the restaurant is very aesthetically pleasing. I love the lighting, how the bar looks and how the seats are situated for an intimate vibe. When we walked in, we were greeted by the kind host. Our server was amazing and super friendly. We had first sat down at the general tables but then moved to the communal area since items from the happy hour cannot be ordered at the general seating areas. The food on the happy hour menu was delicious and our drinks were fantastic. My friend had been here before and raved about the duck. We ended ordering it and baby....the flavoring of the duck is to die for. It has a tang of sweetness which is offset by the meat. Each slice was delicious. While it's kinda expensive, it's definitely worth it. This restaurant is great for a date night or even a good happy hour if you can get a seat at the bar. I highly recommend. read more

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Went to the Glass Off Happy Hour and left a little disappointed. Started with the wine for $7.00 and it wasn't even a full pour, I know because when you pay regular price you get more. So it's less wine, less price. Food was alright. Started with the steak skewers and lamb rib. Both were pretty good. Then we got the steak frites and two pieces were good and two were too chewy to eat. So all in all I thought it was alright but there are better HR out there. read more

We started with the chopped salad and the ahi tuna tartar. The salad had about a 1:1 ratio of tasty toppings to actual leaves, which was excellent. The tuna tartar tasted very fresh, and was crowned with an extremely smooth avocado paste. As an avocado lover this paste capitvated me, and I ate it with great haste. We then got the half Jidori Chicken and the Loup de Mer. The chicken was juicy, with a fine crust, and topped with a fresh salsa verde. The loup de mer was nicely cooked as well. We rounded things out with the cauliflower, which was good but a little soggy. read more

Charcoal Venice - Grilled Loup de Mer - New American Near Me - Venice, California

This is one of my favorite high-end spots, and I especially love the happy hour. The food, drinks, atmosphere, and overall concept are excellent, which is why I keep coming back as a local. Unfortunately, my experiences at the bar have been consistently disappointing because of one particular bartender--a tall brunette woman wearing a pony tail and eyeglasses, who regularly works the bar during happy hour. Over multiple visits, she has come across as rude and aggressive, doesn't smile, rarely checks in and when she does it's rapid fire, tends to focus more on enforcing rules than on hospitality. Her tone overall feels unwelcoming and I often wonder if she's on a stimulant or coming down from one. Every other staff member I've encountered has been courteous and, normal. I initially thought it might just be a personality mismatch over the past year I've been served by her, but tonight she negatively impacted the experience of six of us sitting at the south end of the bar (all couples who didn't know one another). It was uncomfortable enough at one point hearing her be so rude to the woman on my left, that I shared the feedback with a manager when he approached me. While he accepted the feedback, he did not apologize which is bizarre, given so many people felt uncomfortable by her. As an elder couple to our right was leaving, they thanked me for "speaking up" to the manager. They were shaken by the experience. The woman on my left also chimed in to the manager during my conversation with him and shared that this bartender was aggressive. This happened on Tuesday evening around 6:30PM tonight. I'm leaving this review because I truly enjoy this restaurant and want to see it live up to the high standard it otherwise sets. All of other bartenders and staff are hospitable and friendly. I hope the owner takes this feedback seriously, because great service should match the great food and atmosphere and this particular employee is sending people away with negative experiences. Also, normally the food is excellent across the board, however this time it was incredibly off. The mushrooms were extra chewy and hard to grind down with the consistency of rubber, brussel sprouts raw in the middle and hard to chew, in fact I couldn't even get past the first bite. The meat was tough, chewy and the salmon was fishy. The apple crisp was underwhelming and the crispy part of the apple crisp tasted like uncooked oatmeal and was chewy. Usually dessert is on point. I hope all of this is just a fluke because of Dine LA, but not hearing an apology from the manager or the bartender was concerning. read more

Very good restaurant. The bison ribeye was the star of the show for me. I enjoyed the cabbage as well but I was hoping for a lil more char. The broccolini was good but had very little char.. maybe that's where they want it. I expected more and think it would've tasted better. I would definitely recommend this place. I think the happy hour is Seems awesome. read more

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Heard great things about Charcoal from family and finally checked it out on Labor Day. The food was definitely the highlight, but the service and atmosphere left a lot to be desired. The restaurant was only about half full, yet they sat us right by the bathroom (??). We asked to move and they did, but still not a great first impression. Service was pretty bad overall--our server was hardly around since he was also covering the front desk. Felt like they were way understaffed with only two waiters for the whole restaurant. We actually saw our busboy more than our server. Now, the food: fantastic. The cabbage was incredible, the chicken wings were amazing (ask for extra crispy), and the NY strip steaks were perfectly cooked and super flavorful. Loved the sauces at the table too. The baked potato cooked over the flame was a standout, and the mushrooms were delicious. Fries were just okay--would skip next time. Everything is a la carte and very pricey, especially sides and salads, but at least the quality is there. Nice to share everything. Atmosphere was strange for a higher-end spot--some people were dressed up, others were in swim trunks and tanks, and kids were running around. Didn't match the vibe I was expecting. Bottom line: amazing food, overpriced sides, disappointing service, and an uneven atmosphere. I'd come back for the food, but I hope they work on the service. read more

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Our server never checked on our table I had to ask 5 people to check on our mushrooms and then flag down our server who took them off the bill. The steak was rare not medium rare. The server told me I couldn't have things because of dairy like the carrots that I have had before and the chef made for me. While the food was good (lamb ribs oysters shishito peppers and mushrooms when they finally came) it was overall not an experience I would come back for. It seems the inconsistency at charcoal is still riding high you never know what you'll get read more

Hands down the worst dining experience I've had in a long time, and a terrible way to have my first Dine LA at a restaurant I was genuinely excited about. We did arrive 10 minutes late due to traffic, still well within the grace period. When we came in, we told a staff member that we had a 6:30 reservation. He said "okay" and walked away. A few minutes later, the host approached us and told us our table had been given away because we were "20 minutes late," which was simply not true. We had already been waiting at the front for about 5 minutes. After some back-and-forth, he said he would "figure it out." We were finally seated at 6:50 but weren't helped until 6:58. When our server came over, we asked for a moment to decide. She never checked back in, and we had to flag her down to place our order. We received our first starters and salad which we finished by 7:30, but our main entrée didn't arrive until 8:00. When it did, my potato was missing and took another 5 minutes to arrive. By that point, I had already paid because we were ready for the experience to be over and as soon as the entrees came we had them boxed up and ate them later at home. We didn't even bother waiting for the dessert we had paid for because the experience was so frustrating. All of this for $170. Honestly, the food was better when I DoorDashed it to my house and waited 45 minutes. A truly disappointing and exhausting experience read more

Charcoal Venice - potato (full serving) - New American Near Me - Venice, California

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Such a great find! Not sure how we had never stopped in here. It's been open for 9 years! I guess I don't get down to Washington Blvd as much as I used to. We came for the DineLA menu, and it did not disappoint. It actually far exceeded our expectations. We thought we would have to choose either steak or fish, but we got both! The steak was cooked perfectly and had a great seasoning on it. I ate half of it, and then decided to give their condiments at the table a try. The steak was amazing by itself, but was also amazing with their in house chimichurri and steak sauce! The salads were delicious, the dressings definitely a highlight. The vegetables were so flavorful. The potato dish was a standout, but the carrots and broccolini also delicious. The cabbage appetizer was so well seasoned, who knew cabbage could be so yummy! The music was a little loud during happy hour, but then it turned down when happy hour ended and was perfect. Definitely want to go back to try their happy hour burger and a cocktail. The server was super friendly. And all the staff was very attentive, plates were cleared quickly, water was always full, table was nice and clean. Excited to go back and try it again! May even have to do the DineLA again before it ends on Feb 7. read more

Charcoal Venice - DineLA Food (sorry it's so dark!) - New American Near Me - Venice, California

Well worth it to treat yourself. Casual environment with high quality steaks. Looking forward to my next visit.

The Wagyu and array of sides were mouth watering - do not skip the baked potato! Charcoal Margarita has me ready to make another reservation already read more

The food here is delicious! It's the type of place after you've gone you think about going back to sooner than later. If you're lucky enough to score a seat during happy hour you can enjoy tasty cheeseburgers, fantastic Hamachi and most importantly a wonderful staff who makes you feel welcome. I would highly recommend this place. read more

First time trying this place won't be my last! Went with several people so we tasted different dishes and drinks, and all were great. We had 3 different salads, the lamb chop appetizer, one steak and one dessert. All the portions on the salads were big enough for 2 unless that is your main course. Loved the lamb chops, cooked as we requested as was the steak. The charcoal smoke was subtle on both meats but enhanced the overall flavor. We all split the dessert which wasn't too sweet and as generous as the other portions on the menu. Nice wine selections with bottles at a reasonable price. Overall with cocktails, a bottle of wine, 2 salads, lamb appetizer, steak entrée and a dessert, total with tip and tax for 5 was a little over $400 and well worth it for food quality, service, and chill neighborhood ambience. read more

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My husband and I made the drive from Long Beach to Venice for our anniversary dinner at Charcoal, and let me tell you--it was absolutely worth every mile. We sat on the outdoor patio. The vibe was cool and relaxed, with string lights, the scent of real wood smoke in the air, and we were practically alone as most of the crowd was inside at the bar The food? Phenomenal. The smoked and roasted duck was a total standout--tender, deeply flavorful, and kissed by just the right amount of smoke. We also went with the rib eye and it was perfection--juicy, perfectly seasoned, and cooked to a beautiful medium rare. We also tried the oatmeal stout, which was dark and smooth, with roasty notes that tied everything together like a dream. And the sides deserve their own spotlight. The broccolini had this smoky depth with a slight kick of heat that built slowly. We didn't expect to love it so much, but couldn't stop eating it. Our server, Sam, made the whole experience even better--friendly, easygoing, and full of great suggestions. He never rushed us, and somehow made the evening feel both special and laid back. The rest of the staff was equally warm and on point. We ended with the apple crumble, and honestly--warm, not too sweet, and the perfect finish to a perfect night. We're already planning to come back for happy hour. If you're anywhere near L.A., make the trip. Charcoal Venice is that rare combo of unforgettable food, good people, and laid back atmosphere. read more

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Finally came here after living in the neighborhood for years. They have an amazing happy hour, definitely recommend. Very fairly priced and great happy hour menu read more

The tuna tartare was so fresh and the sweet potato chips with it were a perfect touch. Food was so delicious but the singular entree we ordered came an hour after we ordered it. And we went 30 minutes without our server checking on us (perhaps she was embarrassed the food was taking so long). The table next to us also complained about the wait for their food. Maybe they need more kitchen staff or remove the back patio tables if the kitchen can't accommodate those orders. read more

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SOO GOOD! Went there last night for dinner, got the veggie salad, filet mignon, and mushrooms and shared everything with my friend - we didn't have a single bad bite! Extra bonus points for the vinegar and sauces at the table. And the service was seriously top notch from both our server and all the other helper type servers. I came with my friend but would be a great date spot, kind of a vibe without being like a scene, just upscale enough for a nice dinner and/or drinks spot. Honestly have no idea why this place only has 4 stars. Parking isn't the best but found a spot around the corner in the residential area. Will absolutely be back, added to my list of go-to's! read more

Dine LA was the perfect opportunity to try Charcoal Venice. The four course menu at $65 per person was enticing, and four of us went for dinner. ----- FOOD (4/5) All three Starters were served to our table. Our favorite was the Smokey Grilled Chicken Wings (5/5), followed by the Japanese Hamachi (4/5) and Cabbage "Baked in Embers" (4/5). For Salads, we had both the Salanova Lettuce (4/5) -- with strawberries, pickled onions, and candied walnuts -- AND the Collard Greens (3/5). Our Main dishes were Prime London Sirloin (3/5) -- a very nice beef steak ruined by the kitchen dressing it with chimichurri -- and Honey Mustard Glazed Sea Bass (5/5). The Charred Summer Beans (4/5) and Broccolini (4/5) were nice vegetable accompaniments. The Peach & Blueberry Cobbler (4/5) was a very nice dessert. ----- SERVICE (3/5) Service was friendly but not attentive. Maybe it was because of where our table was situated (see Ambiance), but we were frustrated trying to get the attention of our server and runners. ---- AMBIANCE (2/5) We arrived a few minutes early for our reservation on a Thursday evening and had to wait 15 minutes for our table. The noise level in the restaurant was unbearable, and we asked for a quieter table. We were seated at a dead end in the dining room. It was also too dark to take decent photographs of the food. read more

Charcoal Venice - Dinner Menu -- Dine LA July 2024 - New American Near Me - Venice, California

I booked this restaurant on OpenTable first so we got seated immediately. The restaurant is small but super fancy. Cabbage "Baked in the Embers" yogurt, sumac, lemon zest 4/5. I like the cabbage except that it got kind of burnt at the bottom and is rather oily. The cabbage goes well with the side vinegar. Smoky Grilled Chicken Wings 5/5. Just like the name, they're super smoky and burning hot. Definitely crispy and are my favorite. Hamachi Tartare coconut milk, mango, chili oil Salad 4/5. I am surprised of the small portion with a few diced fish, and I could barely taste the fish. The coconut milk is good. Collard Greens yam, pickled onion, aged cheddar cheese, lemon-caper vinaigrette, breadcrumbs 5/5. The salad is super fresh and not drowned in dressing. Salanova santa rosa plum, smoked blue cheese, candied walnuts, fine herb dressing. 5/5. I love the cheese and walnuts in salad, making salad tasty and not just a bowl of bitter greens. Coffee Crusted 4 oz. Prime Flat Iron spicy maui onion condiment 5/5. The steak is nicely cooked of medium rare. They didn't ask if how we want the steaks cooked though. The smoked paprika-mustard chimichurri complements the juicy flavor of steak. Dijon-Miso Glazed Black Cod 5/5. I also love the cod. It tastes like the ocean and like Chilean sea bass. Cod is soft, not fishy, and sweet. Lemony Potatoes lemon chili glazed 5/5. I couldn't taste the lemony they describe. But the glazed potatoes have a sugary, sweet flavor to an originally flavorless carby tuber. Coal-Roasted Carrots ricotta, herbs, black pepper honey 5/5. I couldn't really taste the carrot which is good because I don't personally like carrots. The butter on top is interesting, despite not having so much flavor, it makes the carrots tasty. The carrot is soft but still crunchy. Peach & Earl Grey Crumble mcconnell's vanilla bean ice cream 4/5. The crumble is a lazy way to make dessert. Although the early grey with peach is unique and rare combination. It comes hot so serving with ice cream is a perfect couple. Overall, I enjoy the experience but wouldn't come back often. Maybe only on special occasions will I come. The parking is hard to find on Sunday evening at 6:30pm but neighborhood street parking is free. 3/5. Service is very much under average. Our waiter replaced our plates but forgot to bring new plates the second time. They also didn't refill our coke and water until being asked. 2/5. When dining here, expect to be eating for more than 2 hours because the table turnover rate is low and their food comes out sporadically, which was fine with us because we weren't in a rush and did want to enjoy a nice fancy dinner. read more

Charcoal Venice is a must-visit! The wood-fired flavors are incredible, with perfectly grilled meats and veggies. Great atmosphere, top-notch service, and delicious cocktails. A fantastic spot for a memorable meal in Venice! read more

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Not family friendly. This place is an absolute disaster for families! Our table is practically in the middle of a bar scene, with people getting wasted and cursing right in front of our kids. The management's response was a joke - "it should quiet down soon"? Are you kidding me? We packed up our food and got out of there as fast as we could. Never again will we set foot in that place. read more

Charcoal Venice - Bad area if you have kids - New American Near Me - Venice, California

Great place for happy hour!! Definitely get the burger. My friend and I came here for some wine and bites and it was absolutely perfect. The burger is so fantastic (thanks to our server who recommended) and as were the prawns and calamari. we also got the cabbage toast which was a very unique dish but honestly so tasty! read more

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Amazing food, construction doesn't obstruct the ambiance, and the service started out welcoming, connected and swell. My 4 stars comes from the lull in service and communication mid meal. It took the wind out of my husband's bday celebration sails. Tip: i would make a reservation, even if it is a last minute resy. Try to sit on the back patio where there is lots of fresh air, quiet convos and a bit more space. The interior dining area is a lot more busy. If you like that, you will enjoy the people watching! We really loved the outdoor seating. Sarah our guide to all things dining and service for the night was lovely. She has a great understanding of the menu and is a great listener. She has a lot of support from staff to make the dining period run smoothly. Sit in her section if you can! We started off with a few appetizers: BREAD AND BEURRE DE BARRATTE, COAL ROASTED SHISHITO PEPPERS, GRILLED LAMB CHOPS and the OYSTERS ON-THE-HALF-SHELL. The bread and butter was so tasty. Something like a toasted milk bread loaf. Came in handy for the long wait for our main entrees. The Shishido peppers came with a really nice citrus mango salt that was reminiscent of a sweeter more powdery tajin. Very bright and unexpected which we appreciated. You can't really get oysters wrong but we all have our favorite brands of oysters. I enjoyed the selection at Charcoal. I always salute an establishment that offers fresh oysters on the half shell. The grilled lamb chops really stood out as the highlight appetizer for us, especially because of the unforgettable cilantro cashew mint emulsion. Very tasty and admittedly I did pop a little bit of the emulsion onto our bread, hint to the wise. We also enjoyed a lovely ceviche in Tigers milk. It was really yummy and it's not on the regular menu. The specials at Charcoal are top-notch so ask for the specials or catches of the day. The main course must be ordered all at once so that the chef can course them out for us. This is where my review wanes in praise because our experience was expediting our selection process to order everything upfront and the waiting nearly an hour with no communication from service. This portion of our experience really had us feeling antsy and of course hungry. In fact, it wasn't until we made unwavering eye contact with our host that we got any sort of indication that our order was even placed and was indeed running behind. As our main we opted for the J1-MARINATED SNAKE RIVER FARMS AMERICAN WAGYU SIRLOIN and the Michelin chef highly recommended 16 OZ DURHAM RANCH BISON RIBEYE with a coffee rub. All of the proteins are served à la carte so it's best to add a few sides if you're interested in a meal that feels filling or complete. We accompanied our proteins with BROCCOLINI and ROASTED WILD MUSHROOMS. I could not get enough of the mushrooms. They're very tasty and tossed in parsley, fermented, garlic dressing and breadcrumbs. The ultimate savory side. The American Wagy was definitely the star of our main course. The bison was great, but definitely heavy and we enjoyed it with one of the complementary housemade sauces that come with every meal. In the future we won't order two cuts of beef. I want to try the duck next time. Additionally, this was my husband's birthday celebration. We indicated this on our reservation as well as in person and unfortunately service got so busy/distracted/stalled that while my husband was still eating they dropped off a piece of cake and my cappuccino. Literally put it both items in front of me and kept walking. To be asked several times if we were celebrating anything and then to kind of be slid a saucer of pastry just felt really weird and disconnected. I don't really understand what went wrong, but I know that Quality dining establishments are just a little bit more festive even if they are reserved and high-end. We definitely didn't want a birthday song and clapping but I think having cleared the plates would've been a nice touch. Especially for pictures since much of reservations in these times are really driven by word-of-mouth. And pictures on the Internet definitely help people decide where they're going to spend their special time and money. I didn't get a good shot of the dessert due to the plates. The dinner and the space and the quality of everything is definitely worth what you will be spending. I would definitely like to come back here on a double date and try more of their drink menu. My husband enjoyed his glass of red wine. And of course I'm always hoping for these places with amazing food and unforgettable staff to make it to that five star standing. By the way, we chose a peanut butter chocolate cake with a scoop of ice cream concoction -- I don't remember the name of it, but it was truly outstanding. So whatever they're doing with the menu I hope they don't change it too much, even if they add or evolve from their base. The foundation of their menu is world class. Thank you Charcoal! read more

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